Well pump



Oct, 28, 1941. D, E HUMPHRE-Y 2,260,671

w'ELL PUMP Filed Oct. 4, 1940 Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNi'r/ED STATE sf PATENTl OFFICE' Claims.

This invention relates to well pumps and more particularly to pumps for deep oil and artesian n Wells.

The principal object of the invention is to dispense with heavy and expensive equipment usually employed for pumping wells, including sucker rods, surface equipment such as pumping units, jacks and powers and replace such equipment with a simple, inexpensive and durable reciprocating element, suspended on the tubing string at the bottom of the hole.

Another object of the invention is, to provide means for rotating the tubing string as well as means fortranslating suchmovement into reciprocating movement for so actuating the Working barrel, thereby to elevate liquid through the tubing in successive stages, aided by a `series of relatively spaced and conventional valves'.

Another object of the invention is to provide means by which any differential speed ratio may work and which ratio may be 'changed byV varying several factors in the assembly.

The invention has further advantages in' that i it produces a continuous swabbing effect on the well; minimizes accumulation of basic sediment,

paraffin deposits, emulsion, sand and the like at the bottom of the hole, due to the agitation set up at this point by the action of the working barrel.

The present invention is an improvement on the application for Well pump, led by applicant August 8, 1940 and which bears SerialNumber 351,839.

With vthe foregoing and other objects in `view, the invention vhas particular reference to certain salient features of 'construction and arrangement of parts to become 'manifest as the description in thewell and the means for converting rotary ing one of the suspension tracers for the working barrel.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, the reference numeral I denotes a well casing, on which is suitably mounted a driving head 2, for rotating a string of upset tubing 3, suspended within the casing I.

The driving head 2 is shown in the drawing to contain a conventional worm and gear assembly for transmitting rotary movement to the tubing string but in actual practice, a speed reduction mechanism, as set forth in applicants U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,206,958, issued July 9, 1940, will provide an effective drive for this purpose as well `as affording a medium, not unlikev that illustrated in Figure 1, for .transmitting most section 4 of tubing in the string and which section will be described presently.

The gearing in the head 2 as shown consists of a worm gear 5, mounted on bearings 6, upon gear 5 and through a square opening in a block 9, which latter, in turn, rests in a square recess in the gear 5. This arrangement enables gear 5 to rotate the tubing string 3. To drive the gear 5, a worm I0 is mounted on shaft II to mesh with the teeth of gear 5 and a V-belt pulley I2 is mounted also on shaft I I and operated by a motor to rotate shaft II. Suitable packing I3 surrounds the tubing 3 in the head 2 and is held in pla'ce by means of a thrust collar I4.

Suspended by the tubing string 3 is a union I5. This' union is provided with a shoulder or ledge I 6 which serves as a lower race for ball bearings I'l. `As an upper race for the balls I1, there is provided a circular plate I8, Welded or otherwise suitably secured to the upper ends of guides I 9. These guides not only serve to hold the working barrel, to be described presently, against rotation, but function also as a form of anchor and support, vsupplementing the bearing just described, comprised of elements I6, Il and I8, thereby alleviating strain of suspension onthe tubing string 3. v

rTo the plate I8 is pvoted grips 20, which, under pressure of springs 2|, are urged against the walls of casing I, to hold the guide assembly against any tendency to rotatek With the tubing string 3. The plate I8 and consequently the guide assembly is partially suspended upon the ledge I6 of the bearing assembly. A thick walled collar 22 serves to retain the parts of the bearing assemblyin -proper relationship. The

collar 22 is threaded to receive the reduced 23 of the union I6.

The lowermost section 4 is a multiple return grooved tubular member, in which the twin grooves are identified by reference character 24 and travelling in these grooves is a pair of dia.- metrically opposed, arcuately shaped tracers 25 having cylindrical bodies 25 for free rotation in the correspondingly circular and diametrically opposed recesses in the Working barrel 26 adjacent the top thereof, as shown.

It is apparent that through the medium of the dual tracer arrangement, there is no side thrust on the member 4 to cause the same to be moved out of its true concentric relationship with the 'working `barrel 26, and it is in-l tended that the combined surface of the tracers end in contact with the member 4 will embrace at' least two-thirds of its circumference at the point of engagement. Moreover, such an arrangement spective grooves 24 as' they are, one tracer 25' will assume an angle exactly opposite to that of the companion tracer in operation, as illustrated in Figure 3 and as the working barrel 26 reaches the end of its travel in either direction, the angularity of the tracers reverses suddenly to allow for the extended or continuous rectilinear travel thereof as compared to and brought about by rotation ofthe tubing string 3 at the surface.

The guide or anchor members I6 which are vertically disposed and radially spaced ribs, are,

as stated, connected to or a part of the plate I6,

from which they depend into the well alongside the working vbarrel 26. While the grips 26 do -serve to effectively hold the working barrel against rotation, due to engagement of the lugs 21 against the ribs i9, an added precaution against such rotation is afforded by the fact that the lower ends of the ribs I9- are set in the bottom of the hole. (Figure 2.) By thus resting on the bottom of thehole, some of the weight of the suspended mass is relieved on the tubing and surface support.

In operation, the tubing string 3, carrying the grooved section 4 is run into the casing much in the same manner as tubing is usually done. When power is applied to the pulley I2, worm l0 will rotate gear 6 to revolve the tubing string` 3. This will impart rotation to the union .I54 and which, in turn, will revolve the tubing section 4. Obviously, rotation of section 4 will cause the oppositely disposed protuberances or tracers 25 to move up or down, depending upon the angle of the grooves in which they are disposed* and in moving down, the working barrel 26 is lowered so that it will be submerged in the liquid in the bottom of the well.y Fluid will enter the working barrel by. lifting ball 28v and when the tracers 25'have reached the lower limit of the groove 24, their relative angles and direction of travel will be reversed and the working barrel 26 will begin to ascend, carrying with it the fluid. As the working .barrel continues to rise, the iiuid therein will seat the ball 29 in the bottom of the section 4, thereby entrapping the same above the valve. As the operation continues,- each iluid load will'be successively passed upward to be assumed by the tubing valve 3|, shown in Figure l, at the lower end oi the tubing string l. It is understood that each tracer operates in its own individual groove and any attempt to reverse their relative positions would result only in locking the 4parts 4 and 26 together against movement of any kind. When the fluid, elevated by the working barrel reaches the top of the tubing string, it emerges into the driving head 32 and enters a discharge line 33 for transfer to storage.

Maniiestly, the construction as `shown and described is capableof som'e `modiilcation and such modification as may, be' construed to fall within the scope and meaning oi the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A well pump including in combination with a tubing string in a well, means for rotating said tubing `string, a tubular body suspended belowfsaid "tubing string for common rotation therewith and having continuous twin""double helix grooves in its exterior surface, a piston carried by said ytubular body, a working barrel held against rotation in which said tubular body operates, a pair of diametrically opposed members connected to said workingbarrel and disposed in respective groovesof said body to travel therein when said tubing string is rotated, whereby to eiect vertical reciprocation of said working barrel and valve meansin said working barrel and said tubing string for `controlling iluid for upward passage through said tubing string.

2. A well pump yincluding in combination with a tubing string in a well, means for'rotating said tubing string, a working barrel, a multiple return grooved tubular member in said working barrel, suspended by said tubing string and rotatable therewith, a piston carried by said tubular member, tracers carried by saidworking barrel, disposedl in diametrically opposedV relationship, each operating in .a groove of said tubular lmember to eiect extended rectilinear movement tubular member, a working barrel concentricallyv embracing said tubular member, guide means' concentrically embracing said working barrel and arranged to hold the same against rotation, a pair of tracers carried by said working barrel each arranged to travel in a grove of said tubular member to cause said working barrel to move rectilinearly in continuous motion when said tubing is rotated, to elevate iluid from said well.

4. A well pump including a tubing string, means for rotating'said tubing string, a multiple return groovedV tubular membersuspended by said tubing and rotated thereby, a piston on said tubular member, valves in said tubing, a working barrel surrounding said tubular member, diametrically opposed tracers carried by said working barrel each arranged'to travel in a groove of said tubular'member and capable of reversal at either end of said tubular member to eil'ect -reciprocation of said working barrel and whose transfer of well iiuid above joint areas in engagement with said tubular member will equal at least two-thirds of the circumference thereof at the point of engagementand valve means in said working barrel to effect )the valves inA 'said tubing string. y -A Y.

5. A well pump including a tubing string and means for rotating the same in a well, valves in said tubing string, a working barrelbelow and suspended partially byV said tubing string and held against other than extended rectilinear motion and return, a valve in the lower end thereof,

a groove of said body in diametrically opposed relationship to effect extended rectilinear motion of said working barrel when said tubing string is rotated, to elevate uid from said well through'said valves.

' DEE E. HUMPHREY. 

